Soldier on
by Set
Summary: Someone close to grimlock bites the dust, PG rating for said biting dust. Don't worry, its not one of the dinobots, I'd never kill any of them =) please read and review


All characters within this story are owned by whoever owns them, I think it's Hasbro who still owns the rights to the Transformers but I can't be 100% certain, I sure as hell don't own them and I make no profit doing this story other then personal satisfaction and a means to stop being so bored.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The golden age of Cybertron had caused many of the Autobots to grow soft. Of course there were Decepticon attacks, a last ditch effort by Galvatron and Scorpinok to take back Cybertron, but for the most part it was a peaceful time. This disturbed the great Autobot leader Optimus Prime, he knew that the Decepticon's always did something big or with lasting effects after a long dormant period. The nagging feeling of something soon to happen gave Prime great concern. It was due to this feeling that he constantly sent out parties to search the galaxy for any Decepticon activity. Prime had also felt the need to stay in Cybertron while he sent other people out to do the searching. Things needed to be done here and the planet was still damaged from the vorns of battling that had taken place. Soon enough Cybertron would become whole again and Prime felt that foreseeing that was more important then going out to the battlefield. Currently one of the search parties was on the planet of  
Char, the former home base of the Decepticons after the Autobots had won back Cybertron proceeding the war with the planet-eater Unicron. Char had been deserted as of late but Prime had always felt that there was something happening there that no one, not even he, knew about. He hoped that everyone there was alright, but he could never be completely certain.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Char was eerily quiet as the gathered Autobots searched for anything that was out of the ordinary. The party that Prime had sent out on this run consisted of Kup, Jazz, Sunstreaker, Blaster, and Grimlock. They had been searching for several hours and Grimlock grew tired of the inactivity.  
  
"You promise me Grimlock that me could bash in Decepticon circuits Jazz. Me Grimlock want to bash!"  
  
"Yeah well how else was I going to get you to come on this mission Grimlock?"  
  
"Grimlock, you should be happy that there are no Decepticon's to bash, that means that we finally have a chance to rest" Kup said  
  
"Me Grimlock no want rest, rest make Autobot's weak. Me Grimlock not weak, me Grimlock KING!"  
  
Sunstreaker and Blaster just looked at each other and sighed. It was true that Grimlock was one of the strongest Autobot's around, but his personality... To put it nicely his personality caused more then its fair share of arguments. While Grimlock was still arguing with Jazz and Kup they failed to notice the other beings on the planet.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The other beings were a group of Decepticons who were on Char to retrieve some much needed energon cubes that were in a hidden space known only to Galvatron. He sent his most trusted servants to get the energon cubes. It had never passed his mind that Prime would have also sent some of his subjects to scout Char for anything out of the ordinary. The Decepticons on Char at that moment were Cyclonus and Soundwave. They heard the familiar sound of their enemies.  
  
"Soundwave look, Autobots"  
  
"Obviously they are on a scouting mission"  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
"Why else would they be on Char unless it was to see if WE were on Char Cylonus?"  
  
"I see. Should we attack?"  
  
"There are five Autobots and two of us; we would not stand much of a chance"  
  
"You forgot the cassettes"  
  
"That would put the odds in our favor, if it was not for the Autobot blaster, who also has his own cassettes"  
  
"I see your point. But I still think that we should attack"  
  
"Justifiable reasoning is required"  
  
"They are currently squabbling between themselves; it gives us the element of surprise. Even better, they are huddled in a group which makes them easier to shoot"  
  
"Your reasoning does show promise, let us attack at once"  
  
Soundwave released the four Decepticon cassettes, Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, and Ratbat.  
  
"We are ready to attack"  
  
"Very well, cassettes, it is your job to keep the Autobots distracted while we fire at them. Now, on my mark"  
  
"ATTACK"  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Grimlock was still throwing a fit and being so loud that none of the other's could hear the Decepticons until it was too late for them to mount a respectable defense. Before any of them knew it, they were being shot at.  
  
Sunstreaker was the first to say anything during the crossfire  
  
"Blaster let the cassettes out!"  
  
"I can't! I left them on Cybertron, they needed a tune up!"  
  
"Enough talk, me Grimlock turn Decepticons into scrap metal!"  
  
Grimlock's burst of energy got the others into a fighting mood. Grimlock was concentrating his fire on Soundwave while the others were shifting between Cyclonus and the cassettes. It looked as though the Autobots would soon be victorious when Cyclonus hatched a plan off the top of his head.  
  
"Enough! Soundwave, full firepower on Kup, NOW!"  
  
Soundwave listened to his comrade and concentrated purely on Kup. Kup did not expect this and was busy dealing with the twin cassettes Rumble and Frenzy. They attacked him from behind and the force took him down fast. Kup screamed in pain before he fell silent. His screams caught the attention of his fellow Autobots who automatically dropped everything and ran to shield him from any further harm.  
  
"Soundwave, our work here is done! Let's go get the energon cubes"  
  
They flew away and left the Autobots looking at they're fallen friend.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Kup? Kup! Wake up Kup!" Sunstreaker was screaming at Kup trying to get him to say something. Jazz on the other hand knew that the only chance Kup had of surviving would be back at Cybertron.  
  
"That's enough Sunstreaker, we have to get Kup back home so that the others can try to help him"  
  
"Your right"  
  
They both picked up Kup and took him to the shuttle, followed by Blaster. As they were getting into the ship Blaster noticed that Grimlock was pretty far behind them.  
  
"Hey Grimlock, get in the ship, hurry"  
  
"Me coming"  
  
Grimlock ran to the ship while thinking to himself about something. Blaster noticed that Grimlock wasn't acting like himself so he decided to see what was up.  
  
"You okay Grimlock?"  
  
"Mind own business Blaster"  
  
"Easy there Grimlock, I'm your friend and I'm only trying to help"  
  
"Me sorry Blaster, me Grimlock just worried about Kup, no mean to snap at you"  
  
"It's okay, I'm worried about him too, but the sooner we get back home the sooner Preceptor and the others can look at him and fix him"  
  
"You sure they fix him?"  
  
That question caught Blaster by surprise. It was rare that Grimlock showed much care for the other Autobots unless it was one of his fellow Dinobots that was the one who was injured. He didn't want to lie to Grimlock so he decided to give him the honest truth.  
  
"I'm sure that they will try they're hardest to fix him Grimlock, but that's all I can be certain on. Just hope he'll be okay. That's pretty much all we can do for him right now anyways"  
  
"You right Blaster"  
  
The rest of the ride home was quiet as all eyes were on Kup. When they reached Cybertron everyone hurried Kup to the med room, everyone except Sunstreaker, who went to go tell Prime what happened.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Prime was sitting in his quarters staring into nothingness, he knew something was wrong but he couldn't figure out just what. The sound of Sunstreaker calling his name jolted him back into reality. He could see the look of great concern on the face of the golden clad Autobot  
  
"Sunstreaker, what's wrong?"  
  
"It's Kup Prime."  
  
"What's wrong with Kup?"  
  
Sunstreaker told Prime everything that he could remember and Prime stood there silently for what seemed to be an eternity. After Sunstreaker told him what had happened Prime asked  
  
"Where is Kup now?"  
  
"In the med room being looked at by whoever is on duty"  
  
"I think First-Aid is on duty right now, but Preceptor is probably there as well. They are close friends. I'm going to the med room right now to go see if anything has happened since you got back"  
  
"I'll come with you..."  
"No you won't. Sunstreaker, I want you to tell everyone what happened to Kup"  
  
"But Prime"  
  
"That's an ORDER"  
  
Sunstreaker did not like being told what to do when his friend was gravely injured, but he was an Autobot, and like all Autobots he listened to Optimus Prime whenever he was ordered to. He sped off in the opposite direction of Prime to spread the word. Prime on the other hand transformed and drove as quickly as possible to the med room. This was all his fault, he never should have sent anyone on a mission to char without him or Rodimus being there. He hoped that Kup would be okay, but from what Sunstreaker told him the odds were not in Kup's favor.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
As Prime entered the med room he saw Preceptor in his telescope form analyzing Kup's body.  
  
"Preceptor, is he going to be alright?"  
  
Preceptor transformed back into robot form and had a sad look on his face.  
  
"No Prime... There's nothing we can do for Kup. We've lost him"  
  
Everyone in the room gasped and Prime was the first to speak again  
  
"In that case I want everyone out, now"  
  
Everyone listened to Prime and left the room as Prime slowly walked up Kup's corpse and began talking to him. Grimlock was the last to leave and he heard Prime talking.  
  
"This is all my fault, old friend. It's my fault that you're gone. I never should have let anyone go to Char without me. Now my mistake has cost me a great warrior, and even more importantly, someone like you"  
  
"This not your fault Prime, it me Grimlock's fault"  
  
"Grimlock, what do you mean?"  
  
"Me Grimlock was yelling very loudly, to loud for others to hear Decepticon's coming from behind. It me Grimlock's fault that we were ambushed, and me Grimlock's fault that Kup die"  
  
"No Grimlock, it's not your fault. I should have went with you. Don't put any blame on yourself"  
  
"NO! You no understand Optimus. If me not so stupid and have to get my way Kup would have heard Decepticons. Kup very smart, and been in many fights, he know when Decepticon's come up, but he to busy trying to get me to shut up to hear. It all my fault Kup gone"  
  
"Grimlock..."  
  
"Optimus, me Grimlock want to be alone with Kup please"  
  
Optimus nodded and began to leave the room. Grimlock had never showed this side of him to anyone before, it was a sign of maturing. It was unfortunate that it took Kup's death to bring it out but... best not to think of that. Prime went to tell everyone of the horrible news over the teletran system.  
  
"Kup, me Grimlock sorry. It all me Grimlock's fault. Now you no tell me about petro rabbits ever again. Me Grimlock will miss Kup's stories very much. Me promise to avenge you Kup. Soundwave and Cyclonus will pay dearly for you. I swear on my life that they will meet they're doom by me Grimlock"  
  
Epilogue  
  
The news of Kup's death shocked everyone. His funeral was attended by all the Autobots. After the ceremony was finished Grimlock stayed at the site and looked in space. He was very sad because Kup was his best friend aside from the other Dinobots and he would miss the stories Kup told him and the others. But Grimlock knew that Kup would want him to soldier on. And he would, in honor of Kup...  
  
The End 


End file.
